Driving mechanism



April 25, 1939. R. P. LANSING DRIVING MECHANISM orig inal Filed May 12, 1950 v INVENTOR, and P Lmrs/ I. BY/Faym my 7 Patented Apr. 25,1939

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Eclipse Aviation Corporation,

East Orange,

N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Original application May 12,

1930, Serial No.

, 451,830. Divided and this application December l, 1936, Serial No. 113,738

2 Claims.

' This invention relates to driving mechanism, and particularly to a driving mechanism having resilient coupling elements for shock absorption.- -'Ihe object is to provide an improved mechanism of the character indicated.

.In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a device embodying the invention; and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the resilient coupling elements.

In the embodiment shown a hollow shaft I9 is rotatably mounted in bearings I5 and I8, the latter being retained in an extension H of web M. The hollow shaft I9 is provided with a shoulder bearing I5 and a tapered end III to fit a corresponding tapered inner part of the bearing I3 for providing a rigid connection of the shaft with the inner rotating part of the bearing and 20 for maintaining the bearing seated in the apertures of the diaphragm I2 and web. The hub 2I of the inertia member 22 rests directly on the inner part of the bearing I5 and is held in rigid contact with the same by means of a nut H2 25 threaded on the threaded end of shaft I9. A

cover plate I3 extends over the relatively mas-' sive rim portion 23 of flywheel 22, and registers with a circular flange on the diaphragm I2, in which bearing I5 is received.

An internal ring gear II3 meshes with the pinion gear 45 formed integral with the stub shaft 36. This internal gear H3 is rigidly mounted in a member I'I4 having a part II5 to which is attached an extension H6 by any suitable meanssuch as a sweated joint. The part 5 at its lower end is cut away to form splines II'I. A bushing II 8 is provided to form to the hollow cylindrical member 9 and adaptedv to transmit a predetermined torque only. These friction discs are of two sets in alternate relation and the discs of one spline III of extension 'IIIi,while the-discs of the other set, disposed alternately with the discs 50 of the first set; are connected to the cylindrical member II9 bysplines I2I. The frictional-engagement between the sets of discs may be adjusted to any desired amount by means of springs I23. The friction discs I22 are held in position 55 by means of rings I24 seated on an extension of I III for engaging the inner part of the a bearing surface for the extension H6. A hollow cy-- splines, is positioned'with set are connected with the I 99 and within the flange the spline I2I and a ring I25 held in position by a. series of springs I23. These springs are centered by means of depending lugs I26 from the ring I25. The other ends of the springs I23 are seated on an adjustable ring I21 having a screw threaded engagement with the member II 9 and are provided with a series of apertures I28 for engagement by a spanner wrench. By advancing or retracting the ring I21 the compression of the springs I23 may be adjusted for varying the frictional engagement of the alternate discs I22. The hollow cylindrical member and disc clutch assembly is retained in position by means of a snap ring I. A detachable dust cover I29 is provided 'having'a slotted resilient skirt with a protruding rib adapted to engage acooperating recess in the casing extension 16. A snapring I30 insures positive engagement of the cover with the extension. v

The manually operated actuating means for the reduction gearing comprises the bevel gear 59 held in its proper longitudinal position on the shaft I3I by means of a nut I32 on the threaded extension of the shaft. A sleeve I33 abuts against the other side of the hub of gear 59. This sleeve surrounds the shaft I 3| and is held in position by means of collar I34 fastened to the shaft by means of a set screw I 35. A pin I36 extends transversely of the shaft I3I for engagement by a removable crank (not shown). Bushings I31 and I38 are positioned at each end internally'of the sleeve for supporting the shaft I3I and correcting any slight inaccuracies in the respective diameter. A sleeve I40 is provided in .an aperture of the casing part 9 for rotatably supporting the sleeve I 33 and is held in'its position in the casing by means of a'set screw I42. The assembly I of shaft, gear, and sleeve. is adapted for longitudinal movement in the journal I40 to demesh the gears 59 and 5i. To limit the longitudinal movement when the gears are in mesh a shoulder I43 is provided on the sleeve which abuts against a shoulder-I44 formed on the outside end of the journal I40.

Driven clutch member 86 is secured to a plate 99. (Fig. "2) having aperipheral flange I00 by any suitable means such as rivets IIII. Also mounted on the opposite side or the plate are-angularly disposed studs I02 each of which is held in position by a head peened over on the front side'of the plate. Also angularly disposed on the plate 99, but on different diameters from the studs I02, are-slots I93 concentric with the axis. of rotation. Positioned in theunder side of the plate I00, is a disc of resilient ,55

material I04, such as rubber, having apertures for receiving studs I02 and apertures in alignment with the slots I03 at one end. Bushings I05 are inserted in these apertures forreceiving cap screws I which extend through the plate 99 and resilient disc I04, and areadapted to be screwed into tapped holes in the flywheel 95.

With this arrangement the rotation of the jaw clutch teeth 86 is trmsmitted to the flywheel 96 through the resilient, disc I04 by meansof the studs I02 and cap screws I00, preventing any shocks from being transmitted to the engine.

The operator attaches a hand crank to the shaft I3I by means of the pin I36 and slides the shaft and sleeve I33 until the shoulder I43 abuts with the shoulder I44 at which time the gear 59 and ergy has been stored in the inertia member to start the engine, the cranking shaft 'I3I is moved longitudinally out of engagement with the actu-.

ating. mechanism. The push-button 88 is depressed to-move rod 01 axially and thereby cause teeth 05 of driving member to move into engagement with the driven clutch member 80 of the engine to be started. The motion of the inertia member is then transmitted back through the shaft I9, gears 34, 35, 45, I I3 to the cylindrical extension-H0. The friction discs I22 will then transmit a predetermined torque to the member II9. Rotation of the member IIO advances the nut I9 and firmly holds the driving member 03 in engagement withthedriven member. If the resistance of the engine is greater than the torque which can be transmitted through the friction dlscs I22, 9. relative slippage will occur prevent-.

ing excessive strains or breakage of parts. When the engine starts to run under its own power the nut I9 will be retracted and the spring 92 will disengage the driving member from the driven member of the engine.

Thus it will .be seen that a compact, efllcient starting mechanism'has been provided which prevents undue strains from being imposed upon the parts, "allowing the parts -to be madein a light compact form, and also providing a starter in which any sudden shocks in starting are prevented from being directly applied to the crank shaftof the engine.

It will be obvious that the invention is not limited to the specific forms described and illustrated in thedrawing, but is capable of a variety of mechanical embodiments. Various other changes which will now appear to those skilled in the art may be made in the form, details'of construction, and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention, and reference is therefore to be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 451,830 flled May 12, 1930.

What is claimed is: i

1. In an apparatus of the class described, an engine flywheel having protruding studs, spaced apart and equi-distant from-its axis of rotation, a plate having a clutch jaw on one side, circular slotted apertures in the plate, said apertures having an angular spacing corresponding to that of the protruding studs of the flywheel, depending studs on said plate equi-distant from the axis of rota ion but at a greater distance'from the axis than are the studs of the flywheel, and a resilient driving connection between the plate member and the engine flywheel comprising a yielding disc having apertures for receiving the protruding studs of the engine flywheel and the depending studs of the plate.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a rotatable part having protruding 'studs, spaced apart and equi-distant from its'axis of rotation, a.

RAYMOND 1P. SING. 

